Love & War
The Nightmare
•
my eyes
crisp from the day’s cruel sun
burnt by devastation’s fires
scorched by images of relentless horror
take refuge
in this late-evening fog
settling heavy as a shroud
clinging
opaque
mercifully obscuring
I am sustained
by this damp pall
that descends cool upon me
wraps ‘round my pained countenance
fevered with fatigue
twisted with despair
drawn
by a faded memory of honor
a faint echo of duty
a frayed thread of human dignity
I stumble
broken by this sin I shoulder
not of my making
but of my charge
my sin
unleashed by others
who would impose their delusions
to advance their evil agenda
those who would rule the world
a world now broken
corrupted by their illusions
spoiled by their vanity
a world in chaos
as darkness deepens
this nocturne
I have but this ruin-riddled
highway of blood
of dying dreams
violated innocence
merciless destruction
of horrific death
this path of my duplicity
of my guilt
my shame
and so
I stumble on
bent by the weight of this falling evening
drowned in its drenching sorrow
my spirit hollow and empty
I slink exhausted
into this coming night
and
the next night
and
the night that follows
that always follows
captive on this road of murder
of brutal
human
arrogance
a prisoner
of this lost highway
seeking forgiveness
• • •
The Return
•
distant
slurred
reverberant
like a voice in a canyon
I hear you calling
from the past
my name
rolling sweet as nectar
from your lips
soft as orchid petals
full as a bursting peach
glistening deep coral
as they wrapped softly
‘round each pouted syllable
when you bid me tender farewell
so long ago
our fingertips had strained to grasp
until the final sensation of warmth
of touch
had faded
and they drifted apart
I had struggled
to tear my eyes from your tears
that glistened on your lashes
and around your swollen eyes
blue as a deep summer sky
to slip softly
over the crests of your velvet cheeks
down the contour of your face
flushed as sunset
to lightly salt your quivering lips
numb and dazed
I tunneled down the loading gate
toward the jet
that took me to hell
in those final moments
I locked the image
of your sorrowed face of love
deep in my heart
there it lives as my salvation
my only grasp on sanity
in these horrific years
my lips too
had quivered on that day
from the sting of separation
from the chilling knowledge
I would soon taste
the bitter blood of war
foul with the stench of death
not yet departed
I had longed
on that day
to gaze once more
into your brilliant blue eyes
and taste your sweetness on my lips
as I return this day
trying to face reality at 30,000 feet
I taste the salt of sadness
I fear a kiss from me
with my killer’s mouth
will forever defile
the fragile innocence of your lips
soft as orchid petals
full as a bursting peach
that glistened
and quivered
when last we parted
• • •
rob kistner © 2009
___________________________________
…photorendering entitled “Blood Orchid” by: rob kistner © 2008
You are such a wordsmith! Your descriptions and images take my breath away. Whether you are describing beauty or horror, it’s still wonderful!
Linda –
Thank you for always being so kind… 😉
…rob
Your words in The Nightmare have the chilling effect that they’re meant to convey. Good imagery. In The Return, I especially like that you “return” at the end to some imagery you use at the beginning: the peach and the orchid petals… just as the soldier is returning to his girl. And both of those images drastically clash with the hell of what the soldier has had to endure– very strong! Your use of alliteration also adds to the entire tone of the poem. Good job!
Hello Marilyn –
I greatly appreciate your acknowledgment of “Love & War”, I am honored by your gracious words…
The two joined poems, (The Nightmare / The Return) that comprise this work, are the culmination of fragments of thoughts and images that began taking shape a while ago — initially as three separate works.
This exercise surrounding the Denise Duhamel poem kindled a fresh look at the unfinished and disconnected original drafts, and revealed them as the foundation of a two-part poem of related theme — a soldier’s yin yang experience of war.
Given March 20th marks the date on which the 2003 invasion of Iraq began — I was inspired to edit and pull together the original writings into the unified vision that I now saw for the work… an homage to soldiers everywhere who are uprooted from a place of safety and marched into hell.
…rob
A true mix of emotions here, great poems !
These poems left me with tears in my eyes. And they leave no doubt where you come from. Great poetry!
Gilson –
Thank you my friend… 😉
…rob
Phyllis –
I am pleased these touched you — they are filled with genuine emotion… 😐
I realize war resides with our current human nature, but I simply must believe that someday, somehow — we will rise above it!
…rob
These poems brought tears to my eyes while reading then They are magnificently crafted. Awesome imagery with poignant theme.
Paterika
Paterika –
You are so gracious — thank you! I am pleased these words touched you…
…rob
wow weeeee…. your use of alliteration and rhyme and meter wooo hooo reminds me of my critical apprecitions back in college… but i wounldnt wanna do it on this one, at least not be critical and only appreciate.
i envy you for your words!
Desi –
Thank you for your enthusiasm — but no envy necessary.
I’m just a word workman… 😉
…rob
Hi Rob. The passion (in both senses) comes through very strongly in these poems. I especially like the phrase “… the night that follows / that always follows”, the parenthetical petals and peaches mentioned by others (i also admire alliteration :-), and the emotion behind the inward fear of the “killer’s mouth”.
As chilling as war. Few concrete details keep it disembodied. Probably just as well.
Hi Rob,
Wow, you have a wonderful way with words 😀
Thank you for your visit to my blog, I appologise for taking a while to reply, but your visit was greatfully recieved.
I will certainly be visiting your site often ;-D
throwshiswords –
Thank you for your kind words… 😉
You’ve touched on a couple passages from the poems that were among the most moving for me to write – they seemed to really embody the despair and fear of the work…
Deb –
War is chilling, and there is a sense of being hyper alert and at the same time, ‘out of body’, otherworldly, when in the throws of such an experience… describes much of what, and how, I felt when writing Love & War…
Stacey –
thank you… 🙂 I enjoyed my visit, and do please come back…